The present invention is directed to computer gaming in which a player plays against a computer, and more specifically to methods and apparatus for setting and modifying performance of the computer-based player.
There are many games in which a real person player may play against a computer-based player. For example there are adventure games, role-playing games, strategy games, card games, and sports games implemented on a computer. The actions at least one player are controlled by a real person making user inputs to the computer through a keyboard, mouse, joy stick, gaming device or other input device. The person-controlled player plays against at least one other player/character, whose actions are controlled by a computer program. Such other player may merely be identified as the computer or may have a defined name or character.
In computer-based chess games, there are chess engines such as the WChess engine developed by Heuristic Programming Inc. of Mobile, Ala. which perform at the equivalent rating of a grandmaster chess player. To render a chess engine appropriate for use by ordinary players while still retaining the ability to defeat advanced players, there are systems that allow a user to define a skill level for the computer-based opponent. U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,873 issued Apr. 10, 2001 to Gasper et al. discloses a user-adaptable computer chess system. The computer player counters a player""s moves with an effectiveness that is said to be marginally above the player""s ability. In an opening book portion of the game, the computer based player follows a predetermined plan, including the making of specific mistakes. The computer corrects for a programmed mistake in future games once the real player takes advantage of the mistake. Once the preprogrammed moves portion has transpired, the game enters the midgame portion. For the midgame portion the computer-based player""s moves are handicapped based upon the real player""s performance against the computer in prior games. The computer-based player""s style of play also may vary, such as between a xe2x80x98heroicxe2x80x99 style and a xe2x80x98cravenxe2x80x99 style. Once there are only a prescribed number of players left on the game board, an end game portion commences. During the end game portion, the computer moves still are affected by the computer rating setting and the computer style of play setting.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,302,792 issued Oct. 16, 2001 to Arai et al. discloses a role-playing game. When a player""s character first encounters an enemy character controlled by the computer, the level of the enemy character is calculated based on the current level of the player character. The set level of the enemy character is maintained during the game.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,106,395 issued Aug. 22, 1990 to Begis discloses an adaptive computer game in which a profile of a real person player is monitored and used in future games as a proxy player. A real person player can play against the computer controlled proxy player.
Allowed actions of a computer-based player in a game are limited. A pre-action value is identified which corresponds to a relative advantage between the computer-based player and a real person player prior to a current action taken by the computer-based player. A post-action value is identified corresponding to the relative advantage between the computer-based player and the real person player after the current action taken by the computer-based player. The current action is limited to be among a set of allowed actions, which keep the post-action value at least as great as a threshold value. The current action of the computer-based player also may be limited to keep the post-action value not more than a tolerable value, where possible. The current action is selected from the set of allowed actions. The threshold value and tolerance value are prescribed, selected or varied over the course of the game. The term action as in pre-action, post-action and action is used to encompass the nomenclature of the specific game embodiment, and thus is used to include decisions, moves, shots, rolls, plays, strokes, at bats, throws or another descriptive of an activity or choice performed by a player in a game. Similarly the term move is used interchangeably with the terms action, decision, shot, roll, play, stroke, at bat and throw according to the appropriate descriptive of the specific game embodiment.